Friendly Competition
by The Lady Massacre
Summary: Same client, same target, same night. But what happens when a friendly competition becomes just a little bit more? "You have until midnight, Sa-ku-ra," he drawled. "And then you- and the target- are mine." A.U. ItaSaku


Friendly Competition

Same client, same target, same night. But what happens when a friendly competition becomes just a little bit more? "You have until midnight, Sa-ku-ra," he drawled. "And then you- and the target- are mine." A.U.

Theme: Ready, Steady, Go!

* * *

Her target was Hasami Kishimo, a well-known political author who had a habit of making everyone's business known. He was middle aged, wealthy, a wife and a son. Black hair, brown eyes, the usual features- but he did have something easily recognizable about him. He was always smiling.

Normally such a thing would be irrelevant, but when such an average looking man made something so abnormal about him, it made him easily recognizable. Of course she couldn't just kill every smiling fool that appeared at the party. She'd memorized his facial features by heart, and she knew what costume he would be wearing.

Plus he was the host. That helped a lot.

Sakura closed the mental file she had on him and tucked it away in what she called her 'lock box.' It held all the information she did not want the Yamanakas to find in case she was ever captured for interrogation. Sakura knew a lot of useful information about the criminals that frequented Konoha; they were, after all, her clients. She made it her business to know everything about them. Or almost everything, just anything and everything that was sufficient enough to offer her some sort of protection.

She went over the mental picture of Hasami Kishimo in her mind once more. He'd made some bad enemies over the years, and it was finally coming to bite him in the ass. Her client hated him so much, they'd hired her. She was known for getting the job done- no matter the circumstance. Sakura always killed her targets. Always. She had a record to keep, after all.

Sakura closed her wallet as her taxi arrived. She picked up her red dress before climbing in the back seat, her mask securely sitting on her face. She decided to go with something that was relatively simple. In a place where everyone was trying to out-do each other aesthetically, a simple costume was bound to gain her some attention.

Which was exactly what she wanted.

Hasami Kishimo was drawn to beautiful things, just like any other male in the universe, but he liked things that intrigued him. He found the rare and unnatural pleasing to the eye, and Sakura had that in spades. Her hair was, after all, pink. Of course it wasn't hair dye, or a body modifier. It simply was. She was born with a genetic defunct that made her hair the color it was, and more often than not, Sakura could use it to her advantage.

Usually for her contracts she would use temporary hair dye. Anyone who was familiar with her work wouldn't know whether or not her hair was natural or fake, and considering just how rare pink hair was, she was willing to bet they wouldn't believe reality if they saw it. It was just how things worked. It was why she was so confident in flaunting her most notable feature.

They arrived at the Kishimo manor, and though early, it appeared as if the party was in full swing. Perhaps she would be able to go home early then. As much as Sakura enjoyed parties, and ruining them, she preferred sipping on a glass of sake while reading a good book.

She did have to finish that one where the maid… Eager to get the night going, Sakura paid the taxi driver, making sure to tip well, before leaving the car. People spilled out through the front doors and onto the lawn, it was clear that some people were already shit faced drunk. Sakura gave them a look of distaste as she passed.

It would be a shame, to not enjoy the evening like a party should be, but it would be well worth it in the end. The client was paying so well she would be set for the next two years, and Sakura needed the money.

She was good, really good, at what she did. But it was not without reason.

Still, couldn't think about that now. She had a job to do. The client wanted him dead before midnight tonight. Should be simple once she got rid of security. All she needed was a simple distraction and viola, the client was hers. Sakura paid no mind to the home or decorations; they were indeed beautiful and it was clear Kishimo had spared no expense, but to her analytical eye, Sakura saw escape routes and places where any assassin could easily hide.

Really, if he wanted to make it that easy for her, he may as well have invited her for dinner. Which, incidentally, a previous hit had done exactly that. It had certainly made for an interesting evening. Especially when that thieving ass of an assassin showed up.

Now, Sakura had the patience of a saint. She really did. She knew how to bide her time, bat her lashes, and was willing to go through months of faux romance if it paid well enough. One hit took her up to a year and a half to make sure everything was perfect- the hit had asked her hand in marriage and the night they were to "celebrate," he died. (He'd snubbed a Damyou's daughter. Not the smartest thing to do.)

But not every hit died by her hand, and that was infuriating. In the beginning of her career, she could understand. A rookie teenager taking on the big world with some fancy poison, pretty eyes and some tits just didn't sit well with people. She'd had to prove her worth, and had done exactly that, but it had taken marginally longer than Sakura had expected.

It wasn't as if he had stolen the client, and was getting paid better- now. At first he was. They'd hire her but would also hire the Amaterasu behind her back just to make sure she'd get the job done. Ass holes. If she didn't get the job done within a certain time limit, he'd kill the client and take the money. The next day, she could usually expect to find half of it on her dresser in her room.

She didn't know what had infuriated her more. That he stole the hit, or that he could just waltz into her home and leave without her even noticing. That just pissed her off, but it was accompanied by a sliver of fear. He wasn't called the Amaterasu for nothing. He was dangerous, and killed without mercy.

Now, however, the Amaterasu rarely showed up. They'd come into contact sometimes, but he only spared her a glance and that was it. If he really wanted to annoy her, he'd watch as she killed the client and tell her how she could have done better. Yeah, he was more experienced in that sort of thing, but he preferred to kill someone up close and personal, while she preferred to do so with a poison, specially crafted by herself. Different strategies, different way of doing things.

Sometimes she missed him.

Sometimes.

But it was a bit ridiculous to miss a man that she barely knew, and Sakura hardly knew a thing about him. He was the best assassin there was in the business, which she knew. Sakura was a close second. The only reason she had more cliental than him was because she was cheaper, and her connections.

Her eyes scanned the room for her target. Kishimo was wearing a flashy sort of costume, a white tux with red paint that was supposed to look like blood. It reminded her of Michael Jackson and Smooth Criminal. Sakura could only assume that was what he was going for.

She found him at the base of the stairs, surrounded by beautiful woman with clear body modifications that were supposed to make them look attractive. It went beyond abnormally large breasts; some people made their skin look like scales or had something sit underneath their skin to make it looked ribbed.

Sasori would have hated it.

She blinked. Where had that come from? She hadn't thought of him since… She shook her head. She had a kill to complete, not to think of him. _Get your head in the game, girl!_

Sakura made it a point to walk slowly past, awe in her wide eyes and a small, perfect o formed by her soft lips. She could feel the gaze of hatred the women were sending her way, and she could feel Kishimo's eyes roam over her body. She had chosen something moderately innocent but not prudish- beautiful and elegant. It left more for the imagination that way.

"Excuse me," Kishimo said, moving past the woman and chasing after her. Sakura resisted the urge to smile. Honestly, it was almost too easy. She turned, eyes widened with innocence.

"I can't help but wonder- are you hurt?"

_Oh Kami, not this tired old line. What is he, twelve?_

"Excuse me?" Sakura asked softly, frowning in confusion.

"You must be, if you fell from heaven."

_He blundered the cheesy pick up line. Honestly, if you're going to say something cheesy and stupid and cliché all to hell, make sure to do it right. Nothing more embarrassing than a messed up pick up line. _

Sakura allowed her cheeks to flush, ignoring the fact that she'd heard it a million times before, and so much better. You would think an author would be better with words, Sakura sneered within her mind. Oh well. He'll just have to woo me in other ways.

_Sonnets are definitely out of the question. _

"I, er…"

"Oh there is no need to speak; your beauty speaks for you." The flush deepened. A casual onlooker might think that it was from embarrassment at such flattery, but it wasn't. It was from anger. _OH, he's one of THOSE types. Of course. _Sakura would occasionally get the bigamist ass holes who believed that women should be subservient to men, and also very, very quiet. It was hilarious to see them beg for her mercy in the end. Usually Sakura didn't like to let her hits suffer.

Usually implied that it still happened on occasion.

But, she had to calm down. Just because he said one thing did not mean he was a genuine jack ass. Oh he would die either way, but she couldn't decide how just yet. If she liked him she'd give him poison, she always had a bit on her that lured the consumer to sleep. One that they would not wake up from.

That was only if she liked him. She had other ways of dealing with her targets, of course, hidden weapons, torture, that sort of thing. She didn't like doing it, but if they paid well, and if it was what the client wanted… She had to.

"You're too kind, sir."

"Please, Hasami." He held out her hand and Sakura had to resist from smirking. Sakura took it gingerly. Hasami pressed her hand to his lips, staring at her in the eye. He had to give him props, of course, if not for the cheesy pick up line she could honestly see herself liking him.

"Mitsui," she replied. "Hasami-san."

"Hasami-_kun_," he corrected. "Mitsui-chan. I have a feeling we're going to be spending quite some time together. "

She smiled brilliantly at him. He was playing right into her hand. She could scarcely believe it. "That would be… more than acceptable, Hasami-kun."

"Oh, I do believe I like you, Mitsui-chan." He kissed her hand again before allowing her to drop it at her side. Sakura smiled demurely and fluttered her eyes. Oh, this would be too easy.

:

She spent the next hour at his side, listening to him as he talked. From his file, she knew that he liked women to listen to him, not talk. And when she did talk, Sakura sang praises about the party and how wonderful it was. He was obviously pleased with the fact.

She was immensely lucky, too. No one she knew personally was at the party, or at least, she hasn't come across them yet. Even if her clients came across her, they knew not to interfere. It was policy. Otherwise, she would spill the beans on them.

And they had a lot of beans.

Hasami wasn't as irritating as she predicted. Self-centered, like his psych profile suggested, but other than that there wasn't anything wrong with him. He was passionate, of course, about his work. Once she got him talking on it he would hardly stop, and it was only when Sasuke, her best friend, showed up did he slow to a pause.

"Kishimo-sama, this is a wonderful party." Sasuke greeted as he exchanged the normal pleasantries. Sakura paid him no mind. Sasuke knew what she was doing there already. He was one of her contacts, after all. Her eyes slid over to the taller, more refined Uchiha that stood next to him. Where Sasuke was formal but relatively care free, his elder brother was far more formal and refined.

Sakura had known him for years, having known Sasuke just as long, and he always struck Sakura as the strong, sarcastic, witty type. He was aloof for the most part, and didn't mince worse.

There was always something vaguely familiar about him however, something that she couldn't place no matter how she tried. He was just… different. But in a good way. Each word was enunciated smoothly, every fluctuation deliberate and every drawl sensual. It wasn't the type of voice that she'd forget.

She'd heard it before. But where?

Itachi quirked a brow at her scrutinizing gaze, almost in challenge, but her attention was pulled away by Sasuke. He addressed her this time, asking her name. Sakura smiled charmingly.

"Mitsui, Uchiha-san." Sasuke held his hand up.

"Aa, Sasuke-san would be better. There are two Uchiha's, after all. This, Mitsui-san, is Itachi."

"A pleasure to meet you both, Sasuke-san, Itachi-san."

"And you, Mitsui-san." Itachi replied. To any normal person, the Uchiha's were displaying no visible emotion. But Sakura had been around the Uchiha's for practically all of her life, she could read them better than most people. They didn't notice the slight tilt of their lips, the mirth in their eyes. They were both mocking her as well as Hasami. She'd have to give them a stern talking too, once she learned why they were there in the first place.

"Mitsui-chan, would you be terribly upset if I left you for a small portion of the evening? Sasuke and I have business to discuss."

"Oh! Of course not, Hasami-kun." She smiled brilliantly. "I will be content waiting for you."

"You, my dear, are a prize." He bent down and kissed her lips firmly. Sakura relaxed herself and reciprocated; after all, it was by far the most innocent of things she had to do to win over a target. He played with her pink hair and pulled away, his hand dropping to his side. Sakura watched them both walk away, leaving the elder Uchiha behind. Once Hasami and Sasuke were out of ear shot, Sakura turned and glared at him.

"What on earth are you doing here?"

"Enjoying your wonderful acting skills, of course." Itachi replied smoothly. "Perhaps you should audition for that new film, Icha Icha Paradise."

Sakura blushed furiously. "My acting skills are fine, thank you. And I'd never audition for that- it's vile!" _Not to mention Nii-chan would have _killed_ you. _Leave him out of this! Sakura shouted in her mind.

"As you say, _Mitsui,_" Itachi drawled.

"What are you and Sasuke doing here anyway?"

"As Kishimo has said, he and Sasuke have important business to discuss. Sasuke is acting on our father's behalf, arranging a deal for the company."

Sakura frowned. A deal that would be considered null and void unless Sasuke had papers signed. Once he was dead Hasami's word meant nothing. Sasuke knew what he was doing, however, and it was best to get Hasami to sign papers now while she had yet to kill him. Or even try to. Sakura planned on killing him in his private quarters- it was better than a public execution, anyway, and would draw less attention to her.

"And what about _you?_" Sakura asked, her thoughts returning to the elder. Itachi regarded her coolly and did not reply. Sakura continued, "You always follow Sasuke around. You're not this time. So why are you here if not to stand over your little brother's shoulder?"

"My reasons are my own." Itachi replied vaguely. He had never given her a straight answer in all the time she has known him. Never.

"Always so discreet," Sakura muttered.

"Why are you here, masquerading as you are?" Itachi asked her. She spared him a glance and frowned. Her frown pulled into a smirk as she twisted his own words against him. He snorted at her childish display.

"You are infuriating," he told her.

"What of it?"

He watched her as her eyes narrowed with mistrust. He knew she recognized him, or at the very least, his voice. She was trying to figure him out, who he was. And as much fun as it would be, to watch her struggle and slowly come to realize who he was, Itachi was becoming impatient.

He'd made the decision of having her for his own long ago. Itachi had his eye on her, and he had to make his intentions known. He did not desire competition between other, unworthy men.

Slowly he inched toward the pinkette. She noted the movement, but made no move to stop him. Itachi accepted this as permission and he stooped to her level, his lips brushing against her ear. Sakura tensed. His hand was on her shoulder, his thumb caressing exposed skin in smooth circles.

"Itachi- what are you doing?" She breathed, her eyes widened as the sensation rolled down her spine. He smirked at her obvious pleasure, and he hadn't truly touched her yet.

"Nothing, Sakura." Sakura gasped as she felt his name roll off of his tongue, his lips pressed to the nape of her neck. He bit down and she hissed in response, her hand reaching up and digging down into the back of his neck. He added bit down again, this time harder, and Sakura nearly helped out in surprise. It was only due to her own self-control that she stopped herself.

"I presume that you have the same target as I. You have until midnight, Sa-ku-ra," Itachi drawled, his lips brushing over her ear. His voice ran over her skin like velvet. She shivered. "And then you and the target are mine."

Sakura gasped, turning to him. He disappeared on the spot however, forcing Sakura to wonder how he could slip through a crowd so easily. But then his words came back to her. Oh Kami… he was Amaterasu. He was the bane of her existence and career as an assassin. And he wanted her? Sakura rubbed her neck. No doubt that it would leave a mark later. Bastard.

She had no choice but to accept his challenge. A part of her, a really strong part, was intrigued to know where the hell this was going. And she would find out.

:

Sakura mingled with the other guests, happily drinking and dancing as she waited for Hasami. When he reappeared an hour later, Sakura gladly went to him. It would be hard for Itachi to kill him if she was constantly keeping an eye on him.

Sasuke asked after his brother and Sakura explained that he had left when they did. Hasami wanted to scold him for his rude behavior but Sakura assured Hasami that it was fine, and all she wanted to do now was spend time with him.

Of course, he was all too happy with the fact. Hasami spent the evening with her undivided attention, and it was obvious he was pleased with the fact. They danced together for a few songs and ate, with Sakura gushing all over him.

She made sure to keep an eye out for Itachi, but she didn't see him. Of course, she had never seen him before, either. He was the best in the business, after all, and knew how to strike from the shadows. She would be a fool to deny his skill, and superiority in the field. But Sakura was good too, trained by the best, and she would not lose to him. And she definitely would not let that little stunt he pulled mess with her. She would do this.

Little did Sakura know that Itachi had been shadowing her the entire time, watching and waiting. She showed patience, even as time drew to a close. That was good. Patience was a skill required in his line of work, and she would need it to be on par with him.

He cocked his head to the side, eyes narrowed as she flirted with Kishimo. It annoyed him to no end, but he knew she was merely acting. There was no feeling behind her emotions. Sakura was a creature based upon feeling, and he knew when she was being affected by them. He did notice, however, the slightest hint of tension in her shoulders. Itachi smirked. No doubt it was due to him.

As he watched, Itachi recalled the first time he'd encountered the pink haired woman. She hadn't been a woman then, only a slender girl of fifteen who had a crush on his younger brother (though it was resolved, thankfully.) She'd had longer hair then, he remembered, and she'd asked if he would deliver some bento to his younger brother, who was sick. He'd agreed, but not before trying some of the bento. It was quite good, and he'd been reluctant to keep his promise. He wanted the bento for himself.

Later, at their second encounter, he decided he wanted her.

He focus returned to Sakura and Kishimo. Kishimo was leaning into her, whispering in her ear. Sakura giggled and flushed at his attention. It was fake. Sakura was not a giggling school girl to blush at poorly given compliments. He watched as Sakura nodded in acceptance, and Itachi frowned. Kishimo grasped Sakura's hand and was leading her upstairs.

Ah, was that her plan? Seduce then kill him. He frowned. No doubt she could perform such a thing; it would not be the first time she had to complete such a mission. However, something did not sit well with him. Everything had gone smoothly, there was no hint that either he or Sakura were found out.

But Kishimo…. He hated the unnatural, loathed it even. That he should give Sakura such attention, with her pink hair… It had surprised him that she would even show up with such hair, especially if he were her target. He knew Sakura did everything deliberately, she wasn't reckless. She must have believed it would have aided her goal.

Which means someone fed her misinformation. He frowned. They must have been very thorough, or Sakura had been too trusting. Somehow, though, Itachi was reluctant to pin the blame on her being careless.

Itachi waited a few moments before he followed them up the stairs. He hid in the shadows, following them through an indirect route. He wasn't especially worried; Sakura could handle herself after all. If she wasn't, Sasuke wouldn't have become her contact.

Itachi paused as security approached. He was safe. They wouldn't spot him in his position.

"Is he taking her there now?"

"Aa. Kishimo-sama plans on handing her body to the client, eradicate his debt."

"Why her?"

"She's made a lot of enemies."

"And a lot of friends." Itachi swiftly knocked them out, their looks of surprise imprinted on his mind. But it was more of their words that shook him. Kishimo was planning on having Sakura killed. He was no fool, Kishimo was an idiot and would not be able to kill her himself. He'd have someone else do it. That meant he had no time.

Kishimo might have hesitated. This person won't.

He left the guards where they sat and decided to go for the more direct approach. He had memorized the layout of the building by heart before coming here, but he hadn't prepared for saving Sakura. He hadn't known she'd be here. Sasuke saw fit not to tell them when their contracts coincided. It was irritating at the very least.

His eyes narrowed. He had to find Sakura.

Meanwhile, the pinkette was currently thrashing underneath a very irate Hisami. He hissed as she delivered a knee into his ribs. She wasn't aware how it turned into this, her mind was a little fuzzy, but all her brain would tell her was to survive.

_Sasori'd be disappointed in you. _Gah, fucking Kami I know! Shut it!

She was putting up a good fight. Hisami had put all of his weight on her and had her arms pinned above her, but that didn't mean anything. If he thought she was going to let him get away after all of this, he had another thing coming.

Screw Itachi, at that moment, Hisami had just pissed her off.

Even after she dealt with Hisami, she would still have to deal with the other guards. They were standing post at the two entrances of the room. Luckily for her, it was outside of the room they were in. Apparently Hisami got it into his head he could actually sleep with her before he killed her. Well, that went straight out the window. She'd kill him before he touched her like that.

Sakura threw her weight up and changed their position, just like Sasori had taught her, so that she was on top of him. Straddling his waist, she knew that their position would seem compromising to the unknowing spectator, but that was why there were guards out. There was hardly time to think about that anyway. Sakura broke the man's wrist, twisting them until she could feel it break.

Hasami screamed out, but it was muffled by her kiss. She then did the same to his other wrist before holding them up again above him. Hasami was weak. He was whimpering like a child beneath her, and it was disgusting. She was almost killed by this man? He was an idiot. Sakura took out a senbon needle from her hair and tore through his jugular.

Sakura made sure that that he died quickly. She didn't have the energy to do anything else. As she removed herself from the man's body, Itachi entered the room. He took a look at the body and her bloodied hands and clothes, and could only quirk an eye brow. Sakura snorted at his expression, finding it funny.

"Concerned you lost?" Sakura asked. Itachi's thin lips pulled into smirk.

"No," he replied.

"You wanted to lose?"

"No."

"I'm afraid I'm confused."

"Hardly out of the norm, is it?"

"Watch it, Uchiha-" But that was all she could get out, as Itachi had soon captured her lips in a domineering kiss. Sakura didn't have the strength to fight him off even if she wanted to. Itachi seemed unconcerned about the blood on her hands. His hand cupped her cheek, and Sakura could only lean into him. His lips were so soft, but the kiss itself was rough. He gripped her chin as his tongue begged for entrance. Sakura gasped. Not one for wasting opportunities, Itachi explored her sweet cavern. It tasted like her. So uniquely Sakura he almost found it funny.

When they finally broke apart, Itachi took Sakura by her hand.

"We need to leave." Sakura could only nod, still dazed by the amazing kiss that she hardly put up an argument.

:

They were able to leave the party without a fuss. Itachi brought to her to his large family home; she recognized it from the days Sasuke would have both her and Naruto over. It had been some time since then, of course. Itachi glanced back at her.

"You will need a bath," he noted. "Kaa-chan will not be pleased if you dragged blood into the house."

"You know where I live," Sakura told him. "You could simply take me there instead, so I don't offend Mikoto-chan."

"Nonsense. Kaa-chan will be pleased to see you, and it is the safest place for you."

"Why, do you think those guards will come after me?" Sakura asked. Usually they didn't display such signs of loyalty. If one of them died, even their own leader, they usually left them to the woods. It was just how things went.

"No. But there are others who wish you dead." Itachi made a gesture so she'd remain silent. Sakura nodded in acquiesce, silent as she followed him. Itachi led her to the bathroom where she could draw her own bath. She was careful not to leave blood anywhere on Mikoto's walls. Mikoto loved her, but she was very specific in how her home should be cleaned.

Itachi did not give her another look as he left her to her own devices, but returned with some of his own clothes for her to change into. Sakura blushed at his gesture but thanked him anyway. He did not respond, only left.

Sakura peeled off her bloodied clothes and left them in the hamper. It was the spare bath anyway; tomorrow she would ask Mikoto-chan if she could borrow their washer for a moment so she could wash her dress. Or she would probably throw it away. Sakura winced at the thought. She really liked that dress, but it was soiled with Kishimo's blood, so…

It would have to go. Bath filled, Sakura sank into the warm water. It surrounded her completely, and Sakura was overjoyed to have a scrub down. Her arms were raw by the time she felt herself clean. The same went for any other place his blood had touched.

It wasn't the first time she felt so.. dirty after a kill, but Itachi was distracting her thoughts. She didn't know what to think of his challenge from before, or of his kiss. Kami his kiss. It was perfect. She found herself wanting to kiss him again. And again. And again until it lead to other things.

But it was Itachi, for Kami's sake, Amaterasu, the most feared and wanted assassin in all of Fire Country. Hell, the world. He had made her career hell for the longest time, and had- well, as Itachi, he hadn't done a whole lot against her. Just talked, mostly. His display today had been the only indication that he was even mildly interested in her

Sakura growled. He was so… infuriating, kissing her like that and then barely speaking to her afterward. What kind of crap was that, anyway? Who did that anymore? Talk about mixed signals.

She let out a huff before climbing out of the bath. She let the shower run so she could rinse off the remainder of the dirty water. Hasami popped up in her mind, along with her other kills. Her chest sank with guilt. Sometimes, Sakura could escape it, could push it away because she was doing it for good reasons. It didn't make her feel any better though. Even when she tried to convince herself that those people deserved to die anyway. They didn't deserve to die by her hand.

Sakura patted herself down with a towel before stepping into Itachi's old clothing. Her hair was still wet, dripping cold water onto her shoulders to be soaked up by the fabric of his shirt. It was so incredibly comfy. And it smelled like him. His scent was so familiar Sakura had to wonder how she had never noticed it before.

Itachi was waiting for her in the hallway. He was leaning against the wall with his eyes closed and his head leaned back. If it wasn't for the fact that he opened his eyes as soon as she approached, she might have thought he was asleep. There were no such delusions now. His gaze lingered on her, heavy and intense, and it sent a chill down her spine. And then there was the smallest hint of a smile, and Sakura relaxed.

"Sasuke and I have much to discuss with you," Itachi informed her. "But it can wait until morning. You will sleep here." Itachi guided her to the guest bedroom. Sakura didn't bother to remind him she practically knew the layout of his house by heart, considering how many times she had been there before.

"Thank you, Itachi." Sakura paused, unsure of what to say. Or do. She didn't know what she was to Itachi, why he was acting toward her the way he did. But she would find out in the morning. Sakura made to go into the bedroom when Itachi caught her wrist. Sakura looked up at him, eyes wide. Itachi smirked as he met her lips in a chaste kiss. Before she could blink, Itachi was gone.

:

The next morning, Sakura woke to the smell of Mikoto's cooking. Her eyes widened in surprise, the memory of yesterday resurfacing. And of Itachi's kiss. If anything, she was sincerely looking forward to seeing Itachi. And knowing what business they had to discuss.

Sakura sat up from the bed and found a green yukata on the table. Beside it lied a brush and a hair clip, and Sakura had to smile at Itachi's consideration. She hurried to dress, easily slipping on the yukata and brushing her hair. When Sakura felt herself more presentable, she made her way to the kitchen where Itachi and Sasuke were waiting for her, food already on the table. Their mother was nowhere to be found.

"Ah, Sakura-chan, you're awake. Good." Sasuke greeted.

"Good morning to you too, Sasuke-kun," Sakura smiled, used to his curt behavior. Sakura sat down. "And you too, Itachi."

"Sakura." His eyes were smoldering again. Sakura wondered how he could look like he would devour her in one second, and then handle her as if she may break. Sakura wondered which one she preferred.

Sasuke cleared his throat. "Sakura-chan, as you know, I work in the police force here in Konoha as well as handle my father's business affairs." Sakura nodded. Sasuke continued, "I've made sure that every contract I've given you, or that others have given you, were of men who were wanted, dead or alive, by Fire Country. Usually they have a long list of crimes attached to their names."

"But I receive some of my contracts from Criminals too- they're not all from you, Sasuke-kun."

"It'd take too long to explain," Sasuke said. "Just trust me when I say that most of them were from us."

"So you manipulated them? How did you know where I was going?" Itachi smirked at this, and Sakura knew.

"You followed me?!" Sakura demanded. Oh, she was so ready to punch his face in. Of course it made sense, he did show up wherever she went, at first. Gah, why didn't she realize this before? She'd thought it was only coincidence! Sakura dropped it, however, and turned to another thought before addressing it.

"But Hasami Kishimo- he was only a political author. What did he do so wrong?" Sasuke smiled grimly, but it was Itachi who replied.

"Someone gave you the wrong information. They wanted you killed. While Hasami was a political author he was also an underground gun smuggler, and sometimes dabbled in drugs like cocaine."

"He also owed a great amount of money to some very bad people," Sasuke continued. "And those people wanted you dead. They told Hasami that, if he got rid of you, they would get rid of your debts."

"That means someone had to know you wanted me to have that contract specifically, Sasuke-kun," Sakura noted, eyes narrowed. Sasuke let out a sigh.

"I know. There is a rat in the force, but I can deal with that later. What we want from you, Sakura, is very simple."

"Sasuke has made sure that you were not penalized or criminally charged for your actions thus far," Itachi picked up again. "He has made it clear that you are a freelancer underneath the Force's thumb. But that is not enough anymore."

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked, eyes narrowed. She glanced between the two Uchihas in question. She trusted them both implicitly, of course, but she sincerely hoped that they didn't want to send her to jail. She couldn't. She still had to take care of her Kaa-chan.

"The Council, it's composed of the Chief of Police, and his five most trusted workers- wants you to become a formal hitman for Fire Country."

"But the Police Force doesn't have that much jurisdiction- they only exist a little outside of Konoha, don't they?"

"Yes," Itachi said, nodding in approval. "But it's not just the Council. The Damyou recognizes your skill. And you are a threat because your loyalties, though they haven't wavered, are in question. He wants to make sure you are tied to Konoha and Fire Country."

Seeing her hesitation, Sasuke added, "The pay is well, Sakura. You'd receive double your current salary- and half of whatever the contractor pays. You'll be able to take care of your Kaa-chan."

Itachi raised a brow in question. "She's suffering from cancer. This was the only way she could pay the medical bills."

"And my student loans," Sakura added. "Though someone took care of that, for me." Sakura said with an accusatory glare. Sasuke simply shrugged and replied,

"I wonder who that could have been." Though it was only all too clear it had been him.

"I don't have much choice in this, do I?"

"Oh you do," Sasuke said. "But if you continue as a freelancer, it will no longer be under the Council's protection. And we can't stop you from going to jail if you get caught."

"Sakura," Itachi added. "I work for the Council myself. It would be wise to join."

"I figured as much." She muttered. Sakura ran her fingers through her pink locks, scratching her scalp in frustration. It wasn't as if she didn't want too, it would be the smartest decision she's made since she started the job. However, she'd definitely have less freedom to do as she pleased. She'd be completely under the Council's thumb.

But, if the pay really was as good as Sasuke claimed… And she could take care of her Kaa-chan, then she would do it.

"Alright. Alright." Sakura smiled slightly. "I'll do it."

"Good. We'll deal with the Force. There won't be any papers to sign, but know you cannot refuse a contract anymore. We'll make sure they are tailored to your skill."

They began to eat and fell into silence. Wrapped in their own thoughts, she was sure. Sakura couldn't blame them. She didn't feel as if anything else was wrong, of course, she actually felt quite relieved.

"I've gathered some information from some of the people I've worked for," Sakura noted, once they were all finished.

"We'll do a comparison later today to see what you've learned and what we have." Sasuke replied. "I have a feeling you'll do well, Sakura."

Sakura snorted, grinning at her friend. "As if I can do anything but." Sasuke chuckled as he set his plate in the sink. Itachi soon followed and began to do the dishes, while Sasuke dismissed himself for police affairs. Sakura watched Itachi as he did the dishes, and realized how alone they were. It made her flush at the thought, and her heart beat in anticipation.

"Sakura," he whispered her name. "Are you finished?"

"Hai," Sakura forced down the blush that lingered on her cheeks as she approached him. She handed him her plate, and he met her gaze. Sakura couldn't look away. It was so… intense. She bit her lip, and watched as his eyes drifted down so he could take note of the movement. He smirked before turning away to finish.

"So, Sakura," he said, after several moments of silence. "Sasuke has never told me. How did you even begin this… career?"

"My Kaa-chan-" Itachi shook his head.

"That is _why. _Not _how." _

"Oh." Sakura frowned. Should she tell him? Only Sasuke knew, of course, she hadn't told anyone else. She was surprised that he hadn't told his brother though. They shared everything. Or very nearly everything. Well, she was glad Sasuke respected her privacy enough to not tell him.

"It's a long story, Itachi," Sakura sighed.

"I have time."

"Okay fine," Sakura replied, irritated. "It's not a very long story, just one I would rather not go over."

"That is acceptable," Itachi said. "I will learn the truth, of course." Sakura had no doubt of that. Itachi had a way of knowing things, and finding them out if he really wanted to know. If he didn't get it from Sasuke, he would probably get it from her.

For the moment, Sakura didn't want him to know. She liked him a lot, but that didn't mean she wanted him to know everything about her. Sasori was… a complicated part of her past. He was her half-brother, and he had taught her everything she knew, but whereas she would do good with her work, Sasori saw no difference. A kill was a kill, good or bad, the person didn't matter. She hadn't spoken to him in years.

She missed him, sometimes.

"So, with that taken care of, I have a question for you."

"Hn?"

Having learned to translate the Uchiha's 'Hns', Sakura went ahead and asked. "What exactly do you want from me?" Itachi turned, brow quirked in amusement at the blunt question.

"What do you mean, Sakura?" She rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest.

"You know very well what I mean, Itachi, don't play dumb. It doesn't suit you."

"Very well." Itachi swooped down and captured her lips. Instead of fighting, Sakura melted into the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck and eyes fluttering shut. Itachi nibbled at her lip and she opened, allowing him entrance. Itachi entered her cavern again, tasting her. He dug his fingers into her hips. Sakura let out a moan, tearing out his hair tie and playing with his gorgeous locks. Itachi chuckled as she let out another moan. He removed himself, smirking as she let out a mewl of protest.

"Simply put, Sa-ku-ra," he whispered, mouth brushing against her ear, "I want you. Completely."

"Completely?" Sakura repeated.

"Completely."

Sakura smiled teasingly. "That is acceptable."

:

Sakura later found out the name of the man who wanted her dead. It was Orochimaru, but they never got the chance to deal with him. He was later found dead, poisoned in his own home.


End file.
